After decades of working in the hospitality industry, the McNaughton family was on the lookout for a challenge of a different kind and they have found this by moving into the carwash industry.
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Ben and Erika McNaughton and family previously owned Parkes Cellars for 17 years and for the last three of those years, they also owned the Grand Hotel Drive Thru.
With the sale of the family businesses last August, Ben decided to take up the challenge of owning a carwash, which came by purchasing Sparkles Clean Wash n Wax on the corner of Welcome and Cecile streets.
The McNaughtons officially began at the car wash in mid-February, changing its name from Sparkle Clean Wash n Wax to QuickShine Carwash and that was only the beginning.
Ben has just updated their carwash chemicals to SuperSat products from ProWash, which is the number one brand in Australia.
They have also upgraded their water treatment equipment, which aids the spot free rinse, and have installed a credit card facility to the automatic carwash that can be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Eftpos is also available during office hours.
All this already adds to an exceptional facility that boasts a full touchless automatic wash, four self-serve wash bays, five vacuum bays, vending products and fragrances, and a Tru Blu Dogwash.
A car cleaning service is also available on request.
“The carwash is something completely different to anything I have done before,” Ben said.
“It involves a lot more maintenance than people generally think.
“After 25 years of working in the hospitality industry, what I missed the most was seeing a wide variety of faces everyday.
“The carwash has given me the chance to do that again and I love it.”
To celebrate their new business, the McNaughtons will be hosting an opening day on Saturday, September 2, where they will fire-up the barbecue and all customers will receive a free car care gift.
Parkes has been home to Ben and Erika for most of their lives, so finding a business in town was very important to both of them.
With raising two daughters, Stephanie (6) and Anneliese (2), they also needed something flexible.
“With Erika moving into 141 On Main before Christmas, the carwash industry fitted in well with the flexibility needed with having a young family,” Ben said.
“We hope to provide great, friendly customer service, using premium products to give your car, boat, bike, trailer or puppy dog the clean it needs.”
